Record or other file



(ModeL) I v F. J. H'OSFORD.

RECORD OR OTHER FILE.

No. 896,088. Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

RECORD OR OTHER FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,088, dated January 15, 1889.

Application filed March 30, 1887. Serial No. 232,999. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. HOSFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful I mprovement in Record or other Files for Easy Reference, and for combining in a form suitable for preservation and reference letters, papers, &c., by a new and useful method, of which the following is a specification.

This process may be and is intended to be used as a substitute for the present methods of recording public documents by transcribing the same into previously-bonndvolumes. This process has at least three stages of operation: first, the proper preparation of the material to be used or treated; second, the formation of a progressive binding; and, third, the formation of completed binding.

I am aware that there are in use many devices for the temporary and permanent binding or fastening of papers, &c., and I do not desire to be understood as claiming as new the process of fastening together in a temporary or permanent binding any papers, &c., for convenient reference; but it has been found that in practical use the inventions re ferred to are open to many objections which my invention entirely surmounts, and that results can be reached by my invention which have not hitherto been reached.

To assist in understanding my invention, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents the mode of preparing the paper or other material to be used. This is done by the application of mucilage or other adhesive material, preferably in lines, vertical or otherwise, with blank interstices A at the top margin of the paper. These lines of adhesive material should be of sufficient width to secure permanentadhesion together of all the sheets which may constitute a volume. The said margins are perforated with two or more small holes, a b c, properly placed to correspond with holes in the covers, hereinafter mentioned. The adhesive material may be pnt on solidly and without the interstices; but the method given above is preferable, to secure the greatest solidification of the entire body of the portions of paper actually joined.

Fig. 2 represents one of the covers, in which d e f are the apertures correspomiling to a h 0. Around these are recesses adapted to receive the heads of the thumb-screws. B is the hinge-joint, which may be made in any way that will permit the lower part of the cover to be readily bent at a right angle with its upper part. This joint should be about threequarters of an inch from the top. This strip of three-fourths of an inch incloses a strip of steel to secure firmness. 7L represents a re cess for a tablet or title to the volume.

Fig. at represents one of the thumb-screws used through the apertures in the paper a I) c and the corresponding apertures in the covers, (Z c f, to firmly hold together the papers to be bound during the formation of the volume. The heads of the screws are square and are sunk into recesses in the cover at (l e f.

Fig. 5 represents one of the barrel-screws or binding-couplings which are used to replace the thumb-screws, Fig. 4, after the completion of the volume, the square and round heads at either end being sunk in recesses of proper depth in the covers. c

Fig. 3 represents a back with flexible strip 9 g, to be held in place by the binding-coupling in the completion of the volume. This back has a recess, 2', for tables or title to the volume. This also secures a full equivalent for rebinding by substituting new for old or worn covers.

The process of binding is performed as follows: The paper is first prepared, as above explained, by the use of some adhesive material and with the holes for the thumbscrews. This may or may not be prepared in advance. here the mucilage has been dried, it should be moistened, so as to make it readily adhere. The thumb-screws are then placed through the apertures in the front cover, the cover lying on its face. Two or three end leaves are then put in. The papers with the adhesive material on the portions in contact are then placed with the projecting screws through the holes. The other cover is then put on, and the thumb-screws are put in and screwed down tightly, and the whole is thus firmly held together. This operation is repeated as often as new papers are added to the collection, the cover being removed for I that purpose. Upon the completion of the collection of a volume the studs or thun1bscrews are to be changed for the bindingcoupling or barrel-screws, Fig. 5, with square or round ends, which are sunk. in corresponding recesses in top and bottom covers, the top cover to have the recess 71, as alread shown. This binding is then made ctnnplete by the ltltlltlflll ot the back and flexible strips, Fig. I which are held in their place bv the binding-coupling, as above mentioned.

Illaving thus set [forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the I nited States, is

,l. The method of preparing paper or other similar material to be hound by aconsecutive binding in a volume by the alip'lication of adhesive material to a portion of the surface of each of the sheets of such paper for the purpose olf securing sheet to sheet, and providing suitable holes in the same for metal screws to pass through, such holes and eeeose such papers with adhesive material upon the surface of the separate sheets, providing suitable holes fora fastening device, fastening the same within the covers, one ormore sheets at a time, by the use of such adhesive material. and of metal. t'astei'iing devices, completing the binding by the use of a proper back and permanent 'lastening devices, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The con1bination, in a record or other file, of written or printed matter in sheets previously prepared by the application of adhesive material to the surface of the separate sheets, a metallic fastening device for rigidly fastening the same at one side or end by a eoi'lseeutive binding by single sheets within suitable covers, so that the sheets are held as a solid volume capable of being changed to a permanent binding 01: said covers, and of suitable devices for completing the permanent volume, substantially as and for the purpose adhesive substance being for the purpose of tially as and [for the purpose set forth.

2. The process of lilinglegal reeordsor other 1 papers in a consecutive binding by preparing set forth.

tRE'I'YERIUK J. TMSI OI ZD. W it nesse's:

IIARRIIQ O. MEEKEn,

HARRY L. Hosnonn. 

